Carib Scope

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  • Antigua and Barbuda Government Commits US$95,000 to Mental Health Reform

    Antigua and Barbuda Government Commits US$95,000 to Mental Health Reform

    The twin-island nation of Antigua and Barbuda is launching a sweeping transformation of its national mental health care framework, backed by a $95,000 government investment and a strategic collaborative partnership with the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO).

    The country’s Cabinet has formally greenlit the multi-year initiative, officially titled “Building a Resilient, Rights-Based Mental Health System in Antigua and Barbuda,” after the proposal was submitted for approval by Health Minister Michael Joseph. At its core, the reform project seeks to upend the country’s long-standing model of mental health care, which has relied heavily on centralized institutional care. In its place, the program will shift service delivery to local community hubs and integrated primary health care facilities, centering patient needs rather than institutional structures in treatment design.

    Crucially, the reform goes beyond operational changes to embed stronger legal protections for mental health patients and expand person-centered care approaches that prioritize individual autonomy and well-being. Government leaders note that while work is already well underway to draft and advance a updated national Mental Health Bill, legislative changes alone cannot deliver meaningful improvement to patient outcomes. Parallel upgrades to how mental health services are organized, staffed, and delivered across the care continuum are equally critical to building a functional, equitable system.

    The initiative will target six key priority areas: comprehensive service restructuring, enhanced mental health crisis response protocols, expanded workforce development, national public education campaigns to reduce stigma, and full implementation of the new legal and policy framework once enacted. It will also streamline referral pathways between different levels of health care providers and scale up accessible community-based treatment options for people living with mental health conditions.

    Additional targeted investment will go toward strengthening the country’s existing Behavioural Health Unit and Resource Centre, including the launch of a new dedicated recreational therapy program to support patient recovery and well-being. As the national government provides core funding for the project, PAHO will contribute critical technical expertise and institutional guidance throughout the implementation phase. The partnership also includes specialized training programs for a cross-sector group of frontline personnel, ranging from practicing health professionals to police officers, emergency first responders, and dedicated crisis intervention teams.

    Government officials emphasized that this cross-sector training is a non-negotiable component of the reform. In most cases, people experiencing acute mental health crises first interact with police and emergency responders rather than hospital-based clinicians or mental health specialists, so equipping these frontline workers with de-escalation and trauma-informed intervention skills is key to improving safety and outcomes for both patients and responders.

    A breakdown of the approved $95,000 government allocation outlines targeted spending across core project activities: $58,000 is reserved for technical expertise and external consultancy services, $20,000 is allocated to training and workforce capacity-building, $12,000 will fund national public education and outreach communications, and $5,000 will cover logistical costs for in-country technical project missions. All additional local administrative, logistics, and on-the-ground implementation costs will be covered by the Ministry of Health through the government’s standard national budget processes.

    Cabinet has formally authorized the Ministry of Health to coordinate execution of the program, partnering with PAHO, other national government departments, public sector agencies, and local national stakeholders to align efforts and deliver on reform milestones. When fully implemented, government projections indicate the overhaul will strengthen coordination across the full spectrum of mental health services – from prevention and early intervention to ongoing treatment, long-term rehabilitation, and community-based support – while making critical mental health care far more accessible to all people across Antigua and Barbuda.

  • BACA, Aventa Barbados sign cancer-care agreement

    BACA, Aventa Barbados sign cancer-care agreement

    In a historic first for cancer care in Barbados, the Barbados Association for Cancer Advocacy (BACA) and local pharmaceutical manufacturer Aventa Barbados – formerly Collins Limited – have formalized a landmark collaboration aimed at elevating patient support, expanding public education, accelerating cancer research, and moving forward long-held plans for a purpose-built end-of-life hospice in Coverley, Christ Church.

    The partnership, signed during an official public ceremony on Wednesday, marks the first time a local cancer charity has joined forces with a pharmaceutical company to address the full spectrum of cancer care, patient advocacy, and community education across the island. The agreement comes as Barbados grapples with a rapidly growing cancer burden that has stretched the country’s public health system, straining operational budgets and limiting critical bed capacity at the island’s main public care facility, the Queen Elizabeth Hospital.

    At the heart of BACA’s long-term strategic vision is the construction of a standalone, community-integrated hospice for late-stage cancer patients. The Barbadian government has already allocated land for the project, and full town planning approval has been secured, clearing the way for construction to begin once sufficient capital is raised. Designed to embed end-of-life care within a community-focused framework, the future facility will be surrounded by agricultural green space that will support a farm-to-table nutrition program for patients staying at the hospice.

    BACA chair Jessica Odle-Baril, an 18-month cancer survivor, emphasized that the dedicated facility will fill a critical gap in the island’s current healthcare system. “Right now, general hospitals do not offer the tailored environment people need to spend their final days with dignity,” Odle-Baril explained. “A freestanding hospice will fill this gap by providing specialized end-of-life care that includes palliative treatment, pain management, optional spiritual counseling, and space for family members to stay close to their loved ones – accommodations that are rarely available in busy general hospital wards.”

    While regulatory approval for the project is complete, Odle-Baril noted that securing the large capital investment required for construction remains BACA’s top immediate priority. “I have no shame in advocating for a cause this critical,” she said. “Death is an inevitable part of life, and we owe it to our community to be prepared for it. This memorandum of understanding strengthens our ability to advocate for the hospice and drive the fundraising efforts we need to make this facility a reality.”

    Unlike traditional corporate philanthropic partnerships, Aventa Barbados will not contribute direct capital to the hospice construction project. Instead, the company will serve as an operational partner, bringing its industry expertise to advance the partnership’s core goals: expanding cancer research, delivering evidence-based public education, documenting the lived experiences of local cancer survivors, and identifying unmet needs across the entire patient care continuum.

    Karla Kellman, Aventa Barbados’ Access and Medical Marketing Manager, stressed that cross-sector collaboration between private companies and local charitable groups is essential to improving cancer outcomes across the island. “We recognize the unique struggles and pain that cancer patients and their families go through, but progress cannot happen if organizations work in silos,” Kellman said. “This partnership goes beyond just raising general awareness – we want to understand the specific barriers each patient faces. Where are the gaps in accessing appropriate treatment? Where are the delays in getting timely care? The insights we gather from our survivor network can inform better practices for physicians, pharmaceutical companies, suppliers, and other charities across the country.”

    Sharon Boxill, Key Account Manager for global pharmaceutical firm Novartis in Barbados, added that the collaboration will address all stages of cancer care, not just end-of-life support. “Cancer care requires a holistic approach that engages every stakeholder from the moment of diagnosis,” Boxill said. “This partnership will give us a comprehensive view of a patient’s entire journey, from the day they receive their diagnosis through their treatment and into end-of-life care. If we can shorten wait times or streamline the care process to make it less stressful for patients, that is our ultimate goal. No patient should have to face cancer alone.”

    Beyond clinical treatment, the partnership will also address the often-overlooked secondary impacts of cancer therapy, including psychological distress and common physical side effects such as hair loss, chronic joint pain, and reduced mobility, all of which require targeted support services.

    To implement the terms of the agreement, a joint steering committee with equal representation from BACA and Aventa Barbados will be launched immediately. The committee will develop a formal roadmap for rolling out community education programs, expanding patient support pathways, and leading national advocacy campaigns. Both signatories expressed hope that their partnership will set a precedent for broader private sector engagement in addressing public health challenges across Barbados, ultimately improving outcomes for cancer patients and their families across the island.

  • Free rabies vaccination clinics for dogs

    Free rabies vaccination clinics for dogs

    Grenada is set to launch a coordinated public health and animal welfare initiative this coming September, as St George’s University (SGU) School of Veterinary Medicine partners with two national government agencies to deliver free rabies protection for dogs across the country. Scheduled to take place on Saturday, 26 September 2026, the multi-clinic event is organized to mark World Rabies Day, a global observance focused on raising awareness of rabies prevention and eliminating deaths from the preventable viral disease.

    Dubbed an island-wide outreach effort, the campaign centers on proactive community engagement and preventive veterinary care to reduce local rabies transmission risk. Rabies, a zoonotic disease that spreads from animals to humans, remains a persistent public health concern in many tropical regions, and mass dog vaccination is widely recognized by global health authorities as one of the most cost-effective and impactful strategies to curb the spread of the virus and protect human populations.

    Leading the on-the-ground delivery of services will be trained veterinary faculty and veterinary students from SGU, who will team up with staff from Grenada’s Ministry of Agriculture and Ministry of Health, alongside local community partner organizations. Together, the collaborative group will administer free rabies vaccinations at pre-designated clinic sites scattered across every parish of Grenada. To maximize accessibility for dog owners across the island, vaccination services will be offered during both morning and afternoon sessions at each location, making it easier for residents with varying work and personal schedules to bring their pets in for protection.

  • NCRHA launches 2 golf carts for easier access at Mt Hope

    NCRHA launches 2 golf carts for easier access at Mt Hope

    In a patient-centric upgrade aimed at easing navigation across the sprawling Eric Williams Medical Sciences Complex (EWMSC) in Mt Hope, the North Central Regional Health Authority (NCRHA) launched two new eight-seater golf carts yesterday to offer complimentary mobility assistance to patients and their families.

    According to an official press release from the regional health governing body, the shuttles will be permanently stationed at key high-traffic locations: the complex’s main entrance and its cluster of outpatient clinic areas. Their core function will be to transport users between the facility’s public car park and clinical zones, eliminating the need for visitors to walk long distances across the large campus.

    The initiative was designed to target vulnerable groups that face the greatest challenges navigating the extensive medical compound. Officials noted that elderly patients, individuals with permanent or temporary limited mobility, people living with mobility impairments, and any other members of the public who struggle with long walks will benefit most from the new service.

    Currently, the shuttle service is scheduled to operate daily from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m., covering the majority of the complex’s operating hours for outpatient appointments, inpatient visits, and other public access periods.

    NCRHA Chairman Dr Tim Gopeesingh lauded the new project during the launch, emphasizing that high-quality patient care extends far beyond clinical treatments and procedures. “For us, patient care is not only about the clinical services we provide. It also means ensuring that patients and their families are comfortable and able to move around our facilities with ease,” he explained, framing the shuttle service as a small but meaningful investment in improving the overall patient experience at one of Trinidad and Tobago’s major public medical facilities.

    Health system observers note that investments in patient comfort infrastructure like this often address longstanding unmet needs at large medical campuses, where mobility barriers can add unnecessary stress to already vulnerable patients and their caregivers ahead of appointments or medical visits.

  • Cancer advocacy group targets $3.8m for 14-bed hospice

    Cancer advocacy group targets $3.8m for 14-bed hospice

    Against a backdrop where most terminally ill cancer patients on the island rely entirely on private home-based care, the Barbados Association for Cancer Advocacy (BACA) has launched an ambitious capital campaign to construct the country’s first dedicated 14-bed inpatient hospice, setting an initial fundraising target of $3.8 million. So far, the organization has secured $250,000 in seed funding to kickstart the project, though leadership warns that final construction costs could climb higher amid sustained regional inflation and rising building material prices.

    BACA Chairperson Jessica Odle-Baril shared details of the plan in an interview with Barbados TODAY, explaining that the original preliminary estimate for the build was $3.8 million, drawn from standard construction calculations for a facility of that size. But persistent monthly increases in local construction costs have cast uncertainty over the final budget, with Odle-Baril noting that projections could shift as the project moves forward. “We started with a $3 million baseline based on average square footage for a 14-bed facility, but building costs in Barbados keep going up every month,” she said. “Our accountant will adjust the final figure once all inputs are calculated, and I’m hopeful we won’t need to push the target as high as $5 million.” The $3.8 million target currently in place only covers construction of the physical building shell, not full interior outfitting and medical equipment. Odle-Baril explained that the organization has already secured key donations of medical equipment, including two hospital beds and a cutting-edge modern wheelchair, which will be allocated to the facility once construction is complete. These donations are not included in the current fundraising target, as the group’s immediate priority is raising enough capital to break ground on the structure.

    The project timeline also faces headwinds from tight labour market conditions currently impacting Barbados’ booming construction sector. Odle-Baril noted that high demand for skilled construction workers across the island means the build will likely take at least two years to complete, with the organization targeting a groundbreaking at the start of the coming year. Alongside navigating construction challenges, the organization has recently undergone leadership changes to accelerate fundraising efforts. Odle-Baril confirmed that BACA’s co-chairman recently passed away from cancer while receiving treatment in the United States. In his place, the group has added two new trustees, bringing fresh energy and new strategic perspectives to expand fundraising channels and speed up the capital campaign.

    Right now, palliative and end-of-life care for most terminally ill Barbadian patients is delivered through in-home services run by the partner organization the Barbados Association for Palliative Care, which is chaired by Deiann Sobers, who also serves as a trustee on BACA’s board. Odle-Baril emphasized that BACA fully supports the work of the in-home care program, and the existing network of partner groups is already meeting immediate patient needs while the hospice is being developed, including lending donated equipment like hospital beds to families currently caring for loved ones at home.

    However, in-home care is not a sustainable or accessible solution for all families, Odle-Baril stressed. While most patients express a preference to pass away at home, many households lack the physical space to accommodate medical equipment like hospital beds, and 24/7 private in-home palliative care is financially out of reach for most families. A dedicated inpatient hospice solves both problems: care costs are spread across multiple patients, the facility relies heavily on volunteer staff to keep overhead low, and all patients have access to the space and specialized support they need to remain comfortable in their final days.

    Beyond the new hospice build, BACA is also launching a broader patient mapping initiative to assess gaps in cancer care across Barbados’ public health system, including the specialized cancer wards at the country’s main Queen Elizabeth Hospital. The project will track the full care journey of patients to identify bottlenecks and unmet needs, from diagnosis through end-of-life care. Odle-Baril noted that public health services often face delays accessing critical supplies and services due to fixed budget constraints, not negligence, and the mapping data will help the organization advocate for targeted improvements to support patient comfort and outcomes.

    The group is also working to expand support for cancer survivors, who often face long-term physical side effects from aggressive life-saving treatments like chemotherapy. Odle-Baril highlighted that many survivors struggle to adjust to post-treatment bodily changes, and BACA aims to raise public awareness that recovery is possible and help survivors access the ongoing support they need to regain quality of life.

  • Smoking can cause heart attacks and strokes. Many smokers don’t know that

    Smoking can cause heart attacks and strokes. Many smokers don’t know that

    For decades, public health campaigns have drilled one core truth about cigarette smoking into public consciousness: it causes lung cancer. But a landmark new study published in BMJ Open has laid bare a troubling, life-threatening gap in global public understanding: the vast majority of smokers remain unaware that smoking is equally, if not more deadly to the heart and vascular system, causing thousands of preventable heart attacks and strokes every year. Even less known are the severe cardiovascular risks posed by secondhand smoke exposure to non-smokers.

    To unpack the study’s findings and answer pressing questions about these underrecognized risks, CNN correspondent spoke with Dr. Leana Wen, emergency physician, clinical associate professor at George Washington University, and former Baltimore health commissioner. Dr. Wen walked through the study’s methodology, its alarming conclusions, and what it means for smokers and their loved ones.

    The research team drew on data from two of the largest international tobacco surveys ever conducted: the International Tobacco Control Project, which collected responses across 26 countries between 2002 and 2022, and the Global Adult Tobacco Survey, which surveyed participants in 32 countries from 2008 to 2020. With overlapping country participation, the combined dataset included responses from adult smokers across 46 nations, all asked to confirm their knowledge of smoking’s links to lung cancer, heart disease, heart attack, and stroke, as well as secondhand smoke’s risks for non-smokers.

    Across both datasets, the results painted a consistent picture of widespread awareness for lung cancer, and steep declines in recognition for cardiovascular harms. Roughly 92% of participating smokers correctly identified smoking as a cause of lung cancer. By comparison, just 85% and 80% of respondents (across the two surveys) recognized the link between smoking and heart disease and heart attack, respectively. Awareness dropped even further for stroke, with only 75% and 66% of respondents in each survey acknowledging the connection.

    The gap was even more stark for secondhand smoke. Between 77% and 82% of smokers knew secondhand smoke causes lung cancer in non-smokers, but only 62% to 73% recognized it also causes heart disease and heart attacks. Most surprisingly of all, the study found almost no progress in closing this awareness gap over the past two decades. Across all five measured health risks, the average annual increase in public knowledge was just 0.14 percentage points.

    When asked why this gap is so concerning, Dr. Wen emphasized that cardiovascular disease is the leading preventable cause of death linked to smoking worldwide. In 2019 alone, smoking-related heart disease and stroke claimed roughly 2.6 million lives globally — twice the 1.3 million deaths attributed to lung, trachea, and bronchus cancers from smoking. Smokers who only recognize lung cancer as a primary risk are missing half of the life-threatening picture, she explained.

    “Knowledge directly shapes behavior,” Wen noted. “Smokers who understand the full scope of smoking’s harms are far more motivated to quit. This is even more critical for secondhand smoke: if a smoker doesn’t know their habit raises cardiovascular risk for the people around them, they’re far less likely to take steps to protect their family, friends, and colleagues from exposure.”

    Dr. Wen went on to explain the biological mechanisms that make cigarette smoke so damaging to the heart and blood vessels. Cigarette smoke contains thousands of toxic chemicals, many of which directly damage the inner lining of blood vessels, trigger chronic inflammation, and spur plaque buildup inside artery walls. Smoking also makes blood far more prone to clotting — the primary trigger for both heart attacks (which occur when a clot blocks blood flow to the heart) and the most common type of stroke, which occurs when a clot cuts off blood flow to the brain.

    Additional harms come from nicotine, which raises resting heart rate and blood pressure, and carbon monoxide, which reduces the blood’s ability to carry oxygen to vital organs. Over time, these effects stiffen and narrow blood vessels, accelerating the progression of cardiovascular disease. Crucially, Wen added, these risks are not limited to heavy, long-term smokers: cardiovascular damage begins early, and even low levels of cigarette consumption carry substantial risk.

    Secondhand smoke carries nearly identical risks, Wen explained: non-smokers exposed to secondhand smoke inhale the same toxic chemicals, which cause the same vascular damage and inflammation that raise coronary heart disease risk. The public health toll is staggering: the study estimates secondhand smoke caused 1.3 million premature deaths globally in 2021 among non-smokers, yet fewer than half of respondents in several high-income countries including the U.S., Canada, the U.K., Australia, and Germany were aware of this cardiovascular risk.

    When asked why lung cancer awareness is so much higher than cardiovascular awareness, Wen noted that the link between smoking and lung cancer has been the centerpiece of public health messaging for decades. It features prominently on tobacco warning labels and national education campaigns, so the connection has become deeply ingrained in public knowledge. Cardiovascular harms have never received the same level of focus in public outreach, leading to the major awareness gaps seen across countries, with gaps correlating to a lack of targeted mass education campaigns.

    A common misconception holds that cutting back on cigarette consumption substantially reduces cardiovascular risk, but Wen pushed back on this idea. Research confirms that even a few cigarettes a day carry nearly the same level of cardiovascular risk as a full pack a day. The only effective way to reduce risk is to quit entirely. The good news, she added, is that cardiovascular benefits begin almost immediately after quitting: heart rate and blood pressure drop within hours, carbon monoxide levels in the blood return to normal quickly, and over time the risk of heart attack, stroke, and other smoking-related diseases falls dramatically. Quitting offers meaningful health benefits at any age, and stopping earlier delivers larger gains, so it is never too late for a smoker to quit.

    For smokers looking to quit, Wen emphasized that the most impactful step is complete cessation, and that proven treatments exist to improve success rates. Nicotine replacement therapy, prescription medications, and combined treatment that pairs medication with behavioral counseling all significantly increase the chance of long-term success. Smokers should work with their healthcare provider to find the right treatment plan for them, and should not be discouraged by failed attempts: most people require multiple attempts to quit for good, and each attempt can help identify triggers and needed support for future success.

    In the meantime, smokers must take steps to protect others from secondhand smoke: opening a window or smoking in a separate room does not eliminate the risk of indoor exposure. Smokers should never smoke inside homes, cars, or other enclosed spaces, and should always avoid smoking near children, pregnant people, older adults, and people with pre-existing cardiovascular or respiratory disease.

    “Every smoker should know that their habit does not just threaten their lungs,” Wen concluded. “Cigarette smoke damages blood vessels throughout the entire body, directly increasing the risk of fatal heart attacks and strokes. Recognizing this full scope of harm is one more powerful motivation to quit — for your own health, and for the health of everyone you love.”

  • One Communications to push cancer testing, amid mixed response to Health Ministry’s screening efforts

    One Communications to push cancer testing, amid mixed response to Health Ministry’s screening efforts

    On Wednesday, September 16, 2026, One Communications – the rebranded telecom firm formerly known as GTT – formally launched its expanded PinkTober 2026 campaign, partnering with Guyana’s Ministry of Health to shift the country’s cancer advocacy conversation beyond awareness to tangible, life-saving action. The initiative, themed “One Hope,” marks a deliberate break from the telecom company’s decade-long history of focusing exclusively on breast cancer outreach, now expanding support to all Guyanese affected by any form of cancer, with a new targeted push for prostate cancer screening alongside breast cancer services.

    Speaking at the launch event, One Communications CEO Abraham Smith emphasized that the campaign’s core goal is to drive meaningful behavior change across the country. For ten years, the company has successfully drawn thousands of participants to its annual October breast cancer walk, but Smith argued that incremental awareness is no longer enough. “We know we can get thousands of Guyanese to show up and walk. We’ve done that for a decade. But now we have to ask ourselves, can we get thousands to screen?” Smith said. This year, the campaign will go far beyond the traditional October 25 walk, working to remove barriers that prevent at-risk Guyanese from accessing life-saving early detection testing.

    Under the new partnership with the Ministry of Health, One Communications will amplify public outreach to share clear, accessible information about where local screening services are available, address common fears and uncertainties that lead many people to delay care, and provide direct practical support to reduce access barriers. The company will distribute free mammogram vouchers to support breast cancer screening for women, and launch targeted outreach to encourage men to discuss Prostate-Specific Antigen (PSA) testing with their healthcare providers to detect prostate cancer early. To extend its reach across all regions of Guyana, One Communications is also collaborating with eight leading local cancer-focused non-governmental organizations: Champions of Hope, the Cancer Institute of Guyana, Periwinkle Club, Giving Hope Foundation, the Cancer Foundation, Beacon Foundation, Recover Guyana, and the Guyana Cancer Society. These partnerships will strengthen existing efforts to educate communities, advocate for expanded cancer care, and deliver direct support to patients and families across the country.

    Health Minister Dr. Frank Anthony, who also spoke at the launch, outlined the urgent public health context that makes this expanded campaign critical. Despite the Guyanese government’s recent investment in expanding access to mammography services – adding new machines to public sector hospitals in Georgetown, Berbice, Essequibo Coast and Lethem, as well as expanding access through private sector providers – uptake remains far too low. Between January and September 2026, only 1,667 mammograms were conducted across the country. “Before, when we didn’t have the machines, the problem was, okay, we didn’t have enough machines, people didn’t have access. Now we are opening up access, but people are not coming,” Dr. Anthony explained.

    With 6.4 percent of all screened patients so far this year testing positive for breast cancer, Dr. Anthony noted that current screening numbers are skewed toward already health-conscious Guyanese, meaning many at-risk people are still not accessing care. Widespread national and regional outreach campaigns like PinkTober 2026 are essential to reach the right population segments and drive up screening numbers significantly, he added.

    Dr. Anthony also highlighted progress in HPV vaccination, a key public health tool to prevent cervical and penile cancers, which are linked to HPV infection. Vaccination coverage for children aged 9 to 15 has jumped from just 16 percent to nearly 70 percent in recent years, but Guyana still needs to reach and sustain a 90 percent coverage rate to meet World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines for eliminating these preventable cancers. The vaccine is also currently available for women aged 16 to 45 as part of the national cervical cancer prevention strategy. “In about 10 years, if we maintain this rate of vaccination, we would be on that journey of eliminating one of the most prevalent cancers among women. We can change that outcome. We can see that in our lifetime,” Dr. Anthony said. To date, the government’s HPV testing voucher program has identified 4,000 positive cases among 24,000 tested people over the past two years, all of whom have been connected to ongoing treatment.

    On the topic of prostate cancer, Dr. Anthony reported that 137 new cases have been detected in the first nine months of 2026, a relatively high number that he attributes to the government’s new proactive testing program, which offers free PSA testing vouchers in collaboration with private laboratories. Previously, most prostate cancer cases were only diagnosed at late, untreatable stages, but the expanded screening program is shifting this trend by enabling earlier detection that dramatically improves patient outcomes. Dr. Anthony closed by calling on local non-governmental organizations to leverage their community networks to encourage more people to take advantage of free and subsidized screening opportunities, noting that five years ago, little action was being taken on cancer in Guyana, but ongoing public-private partnerships are working to change that trajectory.

    Cancer is now one of the leading causes of death in Guyana, and both public and private sector leaders emphasized that collaborative, action-focused campaigns like PinkTober 2026 are critical to reducing preventable cancer deaths and improving health outcomes for all Guyanese.

  • CARPHA workshop focuses on stronger laboratory preparedness across Caribbean

    CARPHA workshop focuses on stronger laboratory preparedness across Caribbean

    Against the ongoing global focus on strengthening post-pandemic health infrastructure, public health laboratory leaders and specialists from across the Caribbean have convened in Bridgetown, Barbados, for a three-day strategic workshop focused on shoring up regional capacity to detect and respond to emerging health threats faster.

    Hosted by the Caribbean Public Health Agency (CARPHA), the 11th annual meeting of the Caribbean Public Health Laboratory Network (CariPHLN) ran from September 8 to 10, 2026, as a hybrid event, with funding provided by CARPHA’s Pandemic Fund grant. In total, 26 laboratory directors took part alongside CARPHA staff, public health professionals and regional stakeholders. Eleven of the participating directors attended in person, representing Aruba, The Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Curaçao, Dominica, Guyana, Jamaica, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, and the Turks and Caicos Islands. The remaining 15 directors joined remotely from Anguilla, Antigua and Barbuda, Bermuda, the British Virgin Islands, Bonaire, the Cayman Islands, Grenada, Haiti, Montserrat, the Netherlands, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Sint Maarten, Suriname, and Trinidad and Tobago. Specialists from CARPHA’s Medical Microbiology Laboratory (CMML), which operates across the agency’s three regional campuses, also contributed to the discussions.

    In her opening address to the workshop, CARPHA Executive Director Dr. Lisa Indar emphasized that robust, interconnected laboratory systems are non-negotiable for protecting collective regional health security. “Public health laboratories remain one of the most critical foundations of regional health security,” Dr. Indar stated, highlighting the core functions these facilities perform: from detecting dangerous pathogens and confirming outbreaks to tracking antimicrobial resistance, disseminating reliable public health data, and ensuring safe transport of diagnostic specimens.

    Dr. Gabriel M. Gonzalez Escobar, Assistant Director of Surveillance, Disease Prevention and Control and head of the CMML, noted that the annual gathering fills a critical gap for Caribbean laboratories, creating a structured space to share on-the-ground experiences and align efforts to strengthen collective regional systems.

    A central theme of this year’s workshop was turning laboratory-generated data and insights into faster, more effective public health intervention. Attendees conducted in-depth reviews of current regional laboratory capacity, protocols for specimen submission and transport, and opportunities to streamline cross-border data sharing.

    Participants also gained expanded familiarity with two key CARPHA tools designed to boost regional response capacity: the Regional Integrated Early Warning Surveillance and Response System (RIEWSS), which aggregates data from multiple surveillance sources to enable earlier threat detection and coordinated cross-border action, and SENAITE, a cloud-based Laboratory Information Management System that streamlines laboratory workflows, centralizes data management and facilitates secure information exchange between facilities.

    Other key topics on the agenda included monitoring and addressing antimicrobial resistance, improving tuberculosis testing and surveillance, strengthening preparedness for measles and other vaccine-preventable diseases, implementing rigorous biorisk management standards, refining specimen referral and transport networks, upgrading laboratory information infrastructure, and integrating real-world laboratory data into evidence-based public health policy making.

    Attendees also shared national case studies of outbreak response and capacity building initiatives, and collaborated to map out concrete, actionable next steps for the CariPHLN network to advance collective goals.

    This year’s workshop builds on steady progress made since the 2025 meeting, including more frequent executive meetings for the network, renewed activity from the CariPHLN Technical Advisory Group, the launch of a dedicated antimicrobial resistance (AMR) Technical Advisory Group, and advances across multiple priority areas: regional diagnostic capacity, emergency preparedness, laboratory worker training, technical standard harmonization, specimen referral networks, cross-border data sharing, and communication between CARPHA member states.

    CariPHLN functions as CARPHA’s flagship regional network designed to connect national laboratory leaders, expand access to specialized and referral testing, align regional quality standards, and coordinate joint action on shared health threats. Moving forward, CARPHA confirmed it will continue leveraging the network to build more resilient, interconnected laboratory systems across the region, with the ultimate goal of enabling earlier threat detection, faster emergency responses, and stronger overall health security for all Caribbean nations and territories.

  • LIVE FROM 11AM: Press Conference Independence Celebrations 2026

    LIVE FROM 11AM: Press Conference Independence Celebrations 2026

    The World Health Organization (WHO) has published its latest 2025 Global Childhood Obesity Observatory report, revealing a sharp upward trend in childhood overweight and obesity rates across low- and middle-income countries over the past decade. The report estimates that by 2025, more than 39 million children under the age of five are living with overweight or obesity globally – a 10 million increase from figures recorded in 2015.

    Data shows that the fastest growth is occurring in the African region, where childhood overweight rates have risen by 8% since 2000, outpacing growth rates in all other WHO regions. Experts attribute this sharp increase to a combination of factors, including the rapid expansion of ultra-processed food marketing targeted at children, increasing urbanization that has reduced opportunities for active play, and inadequate access to affordable nutritious food in low-income communities.

    “What we are seeing is a silent public health emergency that is unfolding right in front of our eyes,” said Dr. Maria Chen, WHO’s Director of Nutrition for Health and Development, in a press briefing launching the report. “Childhood obesity does not just affect a child’s physical health in the short term. It increases their risk of developing chronic conditions like type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and certain cancers later in life, and it also has significant impacts on mental health and educational outcomes.”

    The report calls on governments around the world to implement coordinated, multi-sectoral policy actions to reverse this trend. Key recommendations include implementing restrictions on marketing of unhealthy foods and beverages to children, introducing mandatory front-of-package warning labels, improving access to affordable fresh fruit and vegetables in underserved communities, and integrating nutrition education into early childhood education curricula.

    Dr. Chen emphasized that the problem is solvable with timely, committed action. “If countries act now to implement these evidence-based policies, we can cut childhood obesity rates by 25% by 2030,” she said. “But delay will only lead to higher public health costs, greater burden on health systems, and a generation of children facing life-limiting health conditions.”

  • BREAKING: PAHO Opens Access to Twice-Yearly HIV Prevention Injection in 14 Countries

    BREAKING: PAHO Opens Access to Twice-Yearly HIV Prevention Injection in 14 Countries

    In a landmark move aimed at transforming HIV prevention across the Americas, the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) has announced the widespread rollout of a groundbreaking twice-yearly injectable pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP), expanding access to this life-changing intervention across 14 countries in the Latin American and Caribbean region. This expansion marks a critical step forward in addressing long-standing gaps in HIV prevention, offering a highly effective, low-burden alternative to daily oral PrEP that has the potential to drastically reduce new infection rates among at-risk populations.

    Unlike daily oral pills, which require consistent adherence that can be challenging for many people to maintain over time, the long-acting injectable version only needs to be administered twice a year. This discreet, convenient format removes many of the structural and social barriers that have prevented millions of people from accessing consistent HIV prevention, including stigma around daily medication use, difficulty remembering daily doses, and limited access to regular pharmacy refills.

    The 14 countries participating in the initial rollout span the Caribbean and South and Central America, a region that has seen stubbornly persistent HIV transmission rates in recent decades, particularly among key populations including sex workers, men who have sex with men, transgender people, and young people living in high-prevalence areas. PAHO officials have emphasized that expanding access to this new prevention tool is central to the region’s goal of ending the AIDS epidemic as a public health threat by 2030, a target aligned with United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.

    The rollout is supported by partnerships between global health funding bodies, national ministries of health, and local community organizations, which are working together to train healthcare workers, scale up distribution networks, and outreach to at-risk communities who stand to benefit most from the intervention. Public health experts note that this expansion represents not just a technological win for HIV prevention, but a major equity win, bringing an innovative, high-impact health tool to a region that has often been left behind in the global rollout of new medical innovations.